


draw a smile to hide your tears

by MattieTheShy



Series: be free to love who you love [1]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cuddling & Snuggling, Depression, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, Sting is curious, Tumblr: FTLGBTales, art classes, library kisses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-08
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2019-10-28 11:00:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17786138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MattieTheShy/pseuds/MattieTheShy
Summary: Rogue uses art to escape from the trauma of his home life.





	1. sketch 1

**Author's Note:**

> "Art is not what I create. What I create is chaos." 
> 
> -Halsey, Colors (stripped)

Paint. Draw. Sketch. Colour. All day. Everyday. Art is an escape. It always has. And always will be for Rogue. When you're struggling with a severe depression, like Rogue, art is a way to escape it for a short while. He doesn't speak to anyone in school. He doesn't have any friends. It's just Rogue and his sketchbook. 

 

> * * *
> 
>  

It was another day. Another shitty day. Great. Another day of living for Rogue. He took his seat at the back of the currently empty classroom, soon to be filled with his loud and annoying classmates. He liked to arrive early. It was quiet and it helped him clear his mind. Rogue never really 'thought' when he drew, he more so let the pencil take control of what happened on the paper.

 

Teachers would give him strange looks as they passed the classroom. He would just respond with a slight smile then get back to his work. He was well aware that teachers were beginning to become concerned. He didn’t care.

 

The other students started to pile into the classroom.

 

Suddenly, Rogue felt a hard shove to the shoulder.

 

“H-Hey!!” Rogue shouted, standing up. The person turned to him. It was the person who Rogue hated most. Sting. Eucliffe. Both expressions on they boys’ faces turned into a look of disgust, loathing and strong hatred.

 

“Maybe if you weren’t hunched over your desk all the time, I wouldn’t have walked into you, **_freak_ **.” Sting spat. Freak… the word stabbed Rogue right between the ribs, hitting his heart hard. Rogue shrunk back into his seat, scared. Sting shot him one last glare, and walked back to his seat.

 

The day continued as normal. Rogue spent the day on his own with his sketchbook.

On his walk home, he noticed something strange. Sting wasn’t on the opposite side of the road with is friends. He was walking on the same side as Rogue. In front of Rogue.

 

Rogue wanted to end the strange rivalry they had.

 

“H-Hey! Sting...!” Rogue raised his voice a little. Sting stopped and turned to face him. Taking a closer look at his face, Rogue could see that his eyes were red from crying.

 

“Wh-What…?” Sting managed.

 

“Are you okay…? You don’t seem like you’re alright… you’re not with your friends… I-I’m worried…” Rogue asked softly. Sting gave him a weak glare.

 

“I-I’m fine… leave me alone.” 

Sting said, quietly. Rogue could tell he was in pain. He wanted to help... but he didn’t know how.

 

“Well… if you ever want someone to talk to, I’m always here to talk. You know where to find me.” Rogue gave him a small smile. He noticed Sting’s lips curl into a quick smile, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

 

Sting gave a quick wave goodbye and ran down the street to get home, leaving Rogue standing on the pavement with a warm feeling in his chest.

 

The warm feeling didn’t last for long. He knew he had to get home to help his dad.

 

Rogue ran the rest of the way home, almost tripping over a few times on the way. He forgot the door was locked and rammed right into it, hurting his shoulder. He probably looked like he was trying to break in. Rogue quickly rummaged around in his bag for his house keys. Finding them, he quickly put the key in the lock and turned it. The door opened instantly. This wasn't good.

 

Rogue quickly opened the door, walked in and shut it behind himself. He scanned around the living room for his father. From another room, Rogue heard the distant sound of a bottle hitting a hard surface and smashing. Fear struck Rogue.

 

Rogue’s father shouldn’t be home this early. Rogue was supposed to lock the liquor cabinet as soon as he got home. But his father had got there first. And Rogue was in trouble. He had to leave. He had to get out as quickly as he-

 

“Rogue?!”  Rogue froze. Everything in his body stopped working. He had to leave NOW. 

As quietly as possible, Rogue turned and made his way back to the front door. From another room, he heard the sounds of someone standing up. Rogue opened the door, slipped through and closed it again. Then, ran. 

He din't know where he was running to, but he just ran. 

What seemed like ages later, Rogue stopped outside someone’s house. He didn’t know whose it was. He knew he’d be out of the reach of his father… but was he really willing to ask  a stranger to let him stay in their house overnight? No. But what choice does he have? Sleep in the streets? Not risking that again. Rogue sighed and knocked on the front door.

 

He waited. Then the door opened. Rogue was shocked as to who it was.

 

“R….Rogue…?” Sting's eyes were wide. Rogue's heart was pounding.

 


	2. sketch 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rogue and Sting become closer when they realise they have something in common.

“R... Rogue…?” Sting was speechless. Rogue was speechless. They stared at each other, in complete shock. Was the universe trying to get them together? Maybe? Goddamn it universe! 

 

“C-Can i c-come in…?” Rogue managed.

 

“Sting! Why’re you standing at the door? Close it, quick!” A male voice shouted. It wasn’t mean, but they meant it.

 

Sting nodded. “Come in, quick…” Rogue rushed inside and Sting closed the door after him.

 

“Thank you so much... “ Rogue whispered to him. Suddenly, a man with blonde-white hair walked out into the hallway. Rogue froze. The man’s face softened.

 

“Who’s this, Sting? A friend from school? You barely talk about what goes on in school anymore.” He said with a slight laugh. Sting gave the man a sweet smile. Rogue knew that Sting’s answer would be a lie. They’re both not friends. They barely know each other-

 

“This is Rogue. We.. we’re kinda enemies... but he spoke to me earlier today when i was feeling down so i am repaying the favour by hoping he can stay here for tonight... pleeeaaasseeee can he stay dad?” Rogue felt that warm feeling he had felt earlier. Rogue couldn’t help but smile.

 

“Thank you,” Rogue replied. He didn’t know what else to say. There were so many things Rogue wanted to say, he just didn’t know how to put it into words.

 

“Are you hungry? We were just about to have dinner. Would you like some?” Weiss asked, a happy expression fixed on his face. Rogue hesitated. He was hungry... He had to skip lunch at school because he had no money to pay for it. Rogue did that a lot, skipping meals. He knew it wasn’t good, but it was that or shoplifting. He promised he wouldn’t do that. Not again.

 

Rogue nodded, with a smile. “Sure, thank you.”

 

* * *

 

Rogue enjoyed the best meal he’d had in what seemed like forever. His father began to stop cooking, so Rogue had to learn how to cook from cookbooks from the local library and watching cooking shows whenever he could, which was never often. This reminded him that he had a cookbook to return later this week.

 

Rogue knew he couldn’t get home. He didn’t know what part of town he was in and it didn’t feel right to let Weiss drive him home. 

 

After dinner, Sting invited Rogue upstairs and into his room. Sting sat down on his bed and motioned for Rogue to sit next to him. Once he did, Sting turned and looked him dead in the eyes. 

 

“Listen. I don’t know why you’re here. I don’t know if you followed me home or something. But I know one thing,” Sting sighed. “You knew that something was wrong on the way home instantly. How?” Rogue’s breath caught in his throat. Sting was a stranger to him. He didn’t feel ready to tell anyone about himself.  

 

Rogue stared down at his lap, not wanting to make eye contact with Sting.

 

Sting took this chance to take in all of Rogue’s features. Pitch black hair creating a curtain around Rogue’s face, just touching his shoulders. His blood-red eyes looked empty, as if any spark of hope had died out long ago. His fair pale skin made his eyes stand out like beautiful polished rubies. 

 

Rogue was beautiful in Sting’s eyes.   But he knew there was something wrong. Really wrong. 

 

Sting sighed. “You wanna know why I was on my own?” Rogue looked up at him.

 

Rogue hesitated. Then nodded. 

 

“Alright. I’m gay. But my friends were complete asses about it and thought i was joking and all that shit. So i just stayed away from them.”

 

“You’re… gay..?” Rogue echoed. Sting nodded. “Me too... but my dad is homophobic as hell so i never told him. And… i knew you were sad ‘cause… I’ve got depression.” Rogue had said it. There was no taking it back. 

 

“Y-You’re…. Shit…. I'm so sorry…” Sting apologised. Rogue shook his head.

 

“Don’t be. Its fine. Honestly.”  Rogue told him.

“Just some guy living in a world where he’s rejected.” 

Sting gave him a soft smile, “Two guys in a world there they’re rejected. Us gays gotta stick together, eh?” 

  
  
  



End file.
